


Some Cupid kills with arrows (some with mistletoe)

by dearericbittle (dutchmoxie)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Banter, Bastardizing Shakespeare, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Enemies to Lovers, Exes, Human Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), M/M, Matchmaking, Mistletoe, Mutual Pining, Stiles Stilinski Is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-13 02:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16884210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dutchmoxie/pseuds/dearericbittle
Summary: It’s the same thing every time. Derek Hale comes home, the town is in a snit, and Stiles Stilinski polishes his metaphorical armor and gets ready for a battle of wits. Not that he considers Derek’s comments particularly witty. Their friends are just tired of the sexual tension and the rampant egos, and they’re ready to do something about it.





	Some Cupid kills with arrows (some with mistletoe)

The Great Derek Hale is home for the holidays. 

Stiles Stilinski? Not impressed. Everyone just loves their local hero, and all everyone ever talks about is Derek. How he’s finally in Beacon Hills again, and how they can make him stay longer and not sign up for another tour so far away. Most of them act more like the grandmother in Mulan, really. They just want him to stay forever. 

It’s the same deal every time. Derek comes back into town, dragging some hapless army buddy or buddies with him (a different one every time), and the entire town of Beacon Hills collectively loses its shit. And they all celebrate like it’s the return of the biblical prodigal son. 

Save for Stiles - because it’s just Derek, for fuck’s sake. And Derek is an asshole, no matter the medals and the supposed bravery. 

“Did you hear? He’s staying at least a month.” 

Whoop-de-freaking-do. That’s about as long as winter break typically lasts, doesn’t it? It’s just like he went to college - which he should have done, really, instead of risking his life all the damn time (werewolf healing aside, some things can’t be healed magically). 

Not that Stiles is worried about him. That would imply that he actually gives a damn about Derek - and yeah, no, that’s not happening. That’s just completely untrue. And he doesn’t casually use his FBI and CIA-contacts to get news of Derek’s regiment. That would be a serious misuse of power and Stiles isn’t like that, especially not for Derek Freaking Hale. 

He’s in the 107th, like he’s Bucky freaking Barnes or one of the Howling Commandos, and Stiles has definitely made at least half a dozen cracks about werewolves and howling at the moon. Derek hasn’t so much as smiled at a single one. 

“Derek’s back,” Scott is once again stating the obvious. 

“Duh.” 

“And he’s brought Allison with him.” 

And out comes the true motive. Scott has been desperately in love with the pretty archeress - lady archer? Is archeress even a word? - since he first saw her years ago. Allison was basically a rookie then at nineteen years old, her father, the general, watching her every move even in a sleepy town like Beacon Hills. 

The feelings is absolutely mutual, to the great annoyance of both general Argent and Derek fucking Hale. They’d probably rather see Allison with someone with a couple more medals, someone who would be able to protect her from whatever danger they seem to think is always waiting for them - and Scott is the guy who is usually covered in dog hair, the guy whose asthma made him the last guy to be picked in gym class. Okay, maybe second to last, because no one wants to be on a team with Greenberg. 

Even Stiles got picked before Scott - and with his innate clumsiness he’s worked damn hard to overcome, that is saying something. 

“I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you,” he tries to reassure his idiot best friend. “Now have you heard anything about Derek getting another medal? Because I kinda promised him that I’d do a ridiculous amount of pushups for every medal. And I do not want to die.”

He is not as ridiculously out of shape as he was in high school, but his work always leans more towards the research aspects, and not so much towards the seeing actual action. Of any kind, really. Yes, he is pathetic. 

“Why do you always have to do this?” Scott does not sound nearly as amused as he should. “This whole battle of wits thing is getting stale, bro.”

He scoffs loudly. “Wits? That would imply that Derek Hale possesses anything of the sort, and we both know that even the idea of that is laughable. Maybe if growls and threats to rip my face off with his teeth counted as wit. Maybe then.”

Scott just sighs, probably because he has heard him say something to this extent a couple of times before. 

“I feel sorry for Allison, I really do.” 

And as usual, the second the name Allison is spoken, he loses Scott. Because the guy cannot think of anything but Allison Argent at least 80% of the time, and that goes straight up to a full 100% when someone says her name. 

“She’s right here,” Scott notices the girl in question coming towards them. 

There’s a whole group of people walking in their direction, all of them with perfect posture and perfectly messy hair and perfect fucking bodies. And of course the group includes Derek fucking Hale, because karma absolutely hates him. 

“Fuck my life.” 

That makes Scott roll his eyes at him, because clearly his best friend still refuses to understand why he cannot get along with Derek, even after all these years. Not that he ever properly explained to Scott what had happened, but still. This is supposed to be covered under the best friend telepathy clause. 

But alas, apparently the Allison exception still applies. 

“Does my hair look okay?” Scott is already moving on. 

“Dude, you have got to get over this obsession with your hair,” Stiles teases his friend none too gently. “Allison really couldn’t give a damn about it, because she fell in love when you still had that awkward high school boy haircut.” 

Allison came to town their senior year, just in time to see Scott at his dorkiest - and fall in love with him anyway. It had been years, but due to Allison’s demanding job and her even more demanding father, they had not been able to get serious. It was going to happen though, and soon, judging by the soppy look on Scott’s puppy dog face. 

“Says Mr. Buzzcut,” Scott doesn’t even look at him. “Hi Allison.” 

“Scott,” the girl in question smiles sweetly, perfect dimple on display. 

“Seriously, Scott, I have seen the light since then,” he is nowhere near done with their conversation yet. “The buzzcut was totally unfortunate, like many of my decisions back then, but I have grown up and I heard from reliable sources that I’m much more attractive now.” 

And of course the entire group of werewolves that Derek hangs around with are listening to his little speech. And of course Derek just snorts at the idea of him being attractive, which - Stiles knows that Derek did not always feel that way. Or well, that’s what he thought. 

“Why are you still talking, Stiles? No one is listening,” Derek sneers.

He always does this, and it always gets to him, even after all this time. Because Derek knows exactly where to hit to make it hurt. 

“Derek, you’re still here?” He gasps theatrically. “Shouldn’t you be off with your fanclub somewhere?” 

“Spoken like a jealous child,” Derek shoots back.

“Jealous of the simple minded saps swooning over you?” He laughs. “I would rather be paralyzed in a swimming pool than have some random person in love with me.” 

Derek continues to be dismissive. “That is a lucky escape for an unfortunate woman.” 

“Or man,” he corrects. “If you’re going to try to insult me, at least be accurate.” 

After all, Derek of all people should know better. 

* * *

Seeing Stiles again after months and months of resolutely not thinking about what he could say to him next was… very much the same as it had always been. He would spend too much time thinking of witty things that he could say that would silence Stiles, or maybe even make him drop his jaw. Because his mouth? It just isn’t fair - still, after all those years. 

“Scott is looking good,” Isaac turns to Allison, teasing.

His pack is filled with immature brats who spend way too much time teasing each other about their love lives and love interests. He swears that after he turned Erica, she spent the first three months just using her werewolf powers to sniff out which boys would get boners around her and tease them mercilessly. 

Boyd was the only one who admitted to it and withstood the so-called torture. And he continues to be the only sane man among the lot of them. Even right now, he is just calmly sitting on the couch, looking at his laptop screen. Knowing Boyd, he is either getting the holiday present shopping out of the way early, or he is working on his book. 

One day, Vernon Boyd is going to be a bestselling author.

“I think this is it, finally,” Allison is pathetically close to swooning. “I think he is going to ask me to marry him soon. And I’m going to say yes.” 

And this is what he has to deal with all the time. Disgusting. Honestly. 

Why did he ever let them in the pack, or in his unit? He is starting to really miss Jackson at this point, and he kind of hates that sleazy reptile. But at least he doesn’t go on and on and on about his perfect girlfriend’s perfect whatever. 

When Jackson sounds like a good packmate, he knows it is serious. 

“I bet it’s going to be a Christmas gift type deal,” Erica is looking entirely too pleased with herself. “Like, you open your present and it’s a ring. And there’s Scotty McCall, on one knee, puppy dog eyes out, and dropping the question.” 

Great, now they are going to start scheming too. Erica and Isaac are compulsive betters, and Jackson and Peter are always enabling them, because they live for the drama. Allison is usually involved as the judge, because Isaac does not trust that Boyd will be objective about anything concerning his wife. 

His loss, because Boyd takes that shit seriously. 

“No way,” Isaac disagrees. “New Year’s. At midnight. Because of that whole, what you do at New Year’s is what you’ll be doing the whole year superstition crap. McCall is a romantic doofus like that. He’ll probably cry. Bet you twenty bucks.” 

“No bet,” Erica throws herself in Boyd’s lap, werewolf reflexes the only reason that the laptop doesn’t crash to the floor. “Of course he’ll cry. It’s McCall!” 

Isaac has no room to make fun of McCall for being emotional, not after the time Derek walked in on him watching stupid Hallmark Christmas movies and practically weeping at the happy ending. Because these people were meant to be, apparently. 

“I happen to like that Scott is open about his emotions,” Allison shoots a pointed look at Isaac, because she knows everything Derek knows. 

Erica rolls her eyes, because she is probably the least sappy person he knows - and if she didn’t love Boyd so much, he’d be seriously worried about her. She only shows her feelings with rude comments and oversharing about her sex life - not that he has ever written her up for any of it, because he remembers how she was treated in high school. 

The woman Erica has become deserves to gloat. 

“So, Erica?” Isaac shoots her a meaningful look. 

“No bet on the tears, but I’m still putting my money on Christmas. Winner gets twenty bucks, and Allison will tells us when it happens.” Her face turns softer, teasing. “Not right away, of course, because we’re getting married sex is pretty good and I wouldn’t want to deprive you.” 

Allison blushes prettily, nothing like the warrior he sees out on missions. Erica is gleeful, ready to overshare even more of the details that no one wants to know about. Boyd has saved his laptop and is ignoring the chaos. Isaac is pouting like a child. Peter is conveniently absent, as usual. And Derek is left to manage the children. 

“Enough,” he calls the pack to order. 

Enough talk about love and marriage and all of that ridiculousness. Sure, sex, he misses that, but the rest of it? Not at all. No way. 

And that is not denial. 

“You’re just sad you’ve never had awesome boring married people sex.” Erica sticks her tongue out at him like the mature woman she is. 

“I will gladly stay single,” he concludes. “Easily.” 

Erica just laughs at him. “Before we go back, I will see you dying over someone, blushing like a fool, and kissing under the mistletoe like the pathetic sap you truly are.” 

Pathetic? Does she actually dare to call him pathetic? Just because he hasn’t found a husband or wife straight out of high school like they did, doesn’t mean that he is a pathetic lonely sap who wants to fall in love over the holidays like people do in Isaac’s basic romantic comedies. 

He just has no interest in being in love. Not now, not ever. 

“Who are you calling pathetic?” That is just offensive. 

“I am a happily married woman.” Erica winks at her husband. “And you are made for love.” 

She couldn’t be more wrong - he is not made for love and love is not made for him. He has finally learned how to be a good Alpha, how to love his pack while still pushing them to be the best they can be and making them obey his orders when he needs to give them, but that is a different kind of love. It is the only kind of love he needs. 

“If that affliction would ever get its claws in me, kill me.” Derek is completely serious. 

Not again. Never again. He would rather face bombs and fight a hundred monsters than risk getting his heart ripped out by love. 

“And you call me a drama queen,” Isaac huffs. 

“Because you are,” Allison responds, pressing a kiss to his cheek as an apology. 

He almost fell in love in high school, and it ruined everything. 

* * *

“I think I’m going to ask Allison to marry me.” Scott comes into the conversation with the least surprising comment of the month, and that is saying something. 

He catches Liam’s eye and refrains from rolling his eyes at Scott’s idiocy. Liam is basically a child, and even he and Hayden are aware that this has been a long time coming. Like, basically since they were both still in the womb, because has he mentioned how freaking young they are? They are high school seniors. Children. Practically fetuses. 

“Do you want me to act surprised?” Stiles is ready to mock his friend, as usual. “Or can I acknowledge that we all knew that this was going to happen?”

Looking around the room, he is just waiting for a show of hands from the various teenagers that they have managed to surround them with. It is at times like this that he really fucking misses Lydia and Kira - sensible adults with a badass side. While Kira was not as likely to roll her eyes at Scott, her upbeat presence always made things better. 

And now he’s being co-father to these teenage idiots - thanks for basically adopting Liam, Scott. Because with Liam came Hayden and Mason, and with them came Corey and with him came this younger version of Jackson named Brett. Stiles is barely keeping track, and the whole responsibility dealio is just not his thing - he is not anyone’s role model. 

“Everyone?” Scott is apparently actually surprised at this. 

“Yes, everyone,” Mason chimes in from the floor, not even pausing his relentless battle against Bowser. “Even Allison, probably.”

Okay, maybe Mason can stay. The guy is smart and usually willing to share the load on the research that comes with being a part of Beacon Hills’ defense force - at least when the werewolves are away. The others? He still hasn’t decided their fates. 

“At least I’m doing better than Stiles,” Scott lashes out when he feels attacked. “We have all seen the pictures of the last guy. It’s like he’s given up on himself. You used to have standards dude. Ridiculously high standards that no one could live up to, but still standards. I get that no one can be another Lydia, or another-”

“No.” Stiles interrupts Scott before he can say that name. 

The children do not know, and if Stiles has any power at all, they never will. There is nothing stopping Scott from telling them this stuff when Stiles is not around, of course, but maybe if he makes his displeasure known… Yeah, probably not. 

It just hasn’t come up with the kids until now. 

“Wait,” Hayden has a painfully mischievous look on his face that he would normally be thrilled by, “how embarrassing was this last guy?”

It is not nearly as funny when the joke is on him. “Let me just start by telling you that the first date was a blind date, and he was a really funny texter.” 

And they only went on three dates before he had to call it off. Because he absolutely has standards - shut up Scott - and he doesn’t believe in wasting people’s time if he’s not that into them. And it has nothing to do with him sabotaging his own happiness because he is still not over… Someone stupid. 

“Sounds like a catch,” Mason avoids another bob-omb with surprising ease. 

“The guy had a full-on mountain man beard,” Stiles raises his hands to the sky. “It made him look at least twenty years older than he was. I was this close to being asked if I was enjoying a day out with my father at least twice. And for once that did not have anything to do with my own face. I mean, I know I look barely alcohol legal, but still!”

Liam is laughing at him, Mason chuckles while hitting a few coins, and even Corey turns visible long enough to show some amusement. Though to him it’s even funnier when the controller appears to be moving itself. 

“So, you’d prefer someone who’s smooth-shaven?” He can hear Hayden adjusting his potential dating pool in her head. 

He tries not to sign mournfully, because clearly none of them are getting it. “I’d like someone who is actually old enough to grow a beard. I’ve been on the other end of the are you even legal discussion, and even I’m capable of growing something that resembles a beard. If I wanted to date someone with a butt for a face, I’d try to steal Jackson from Lydia. And no one would ever be that desperate.”

All he gets in response is complete silence, because these children just don’t get him and Scott is - Scott. He met the love of his life in high school, and fell head over heels at the first sight of that single dimple. Not everyone is that lucky, or pathetic. He is not sure which is the more accurate, it depends on his mood. 

“And besides,” he continues, not done arguing his point. “No bare-faced boy would be able to handle me, and no bearded hobo is going to keep up with my youthful exuberance. So I am doomed to stay a bachelor.” 

Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic. But he is suffering from a serious case of Goldilocks syndrome - everyone he’s tried to date has been too much of one thing or too little of something else. He hasn’t managed to find his just right. And he never will, because he really doubts that such a person even exists. 

“There’s someone out there for you, buddy,” Scott tries so hard to be reassuring. 

Stiles laughs in his face, because that’s friendship. “Not unless Darwinism starts churning out some more winners. I sincerely doubt I will find the love of my life in Beacon Hills.” 

There is no one here, just the same old people he’s known forever and has already rejected (or have rejected him) for some reason or other. And he’s the supernatural consultant to all the police departments in the region, so he’s not about to go anywhere. 

“Just come to the costume party,” Scott just keeps trying, because he is a true friend. “Even if you don’t find the love of your life, you still get to be anonymous and say crazy shit to people without repercussions. You know you love that.”

Scott knows him so well. And he’s got a really great costume, which means that no one is going to recognize him. 

* * *

He recognizes Stiles about five minutes into the party, mostly because of his obvious costume. Little Red Riding Hood is a little on the nose, for the way he’s always roamed the Preserve and how he used to be chased around by a few wolves in particular. Stiles’ Polish grandmother doesn’t live nearby, but he’s always roamed around in a red hoodie as if taunting every werewolf who dared to get close. 

It’s always felt like it was directed at Derek most of all. 

Back in high school, it was fun, teasing, almost - dare he even think it - flirtatious. Like Stiles wanted to be chased by him. 

But that was when they were actually friends, or at least friendly. The barbs were a lot less harsh back then, instead of meant to hit each other where it hurts. 

“I won’t tell you,” there is a grin on his face as Stiles tries to pump him for information. 

Just like old times, really. They just natural fell into a conversation, and the teasing and bickering just kind of happened. Which is not something he would ever see, but with Stiles, it always feels like things are happening without his knowledge or consent. 

He does things without thinking it through when Stiles is around, says things he is not completely sure of just to keep Stiles talking. Just to make sure Stiles sticks around for a little while longer - because he is a pathetic idiot who never got over… high school. 

Stiles gasps dramatically, pretending to be offended already. “You’re not even going to tell me who told you?” 

“Sorry, but no.” He knows it is always best to keep Stiles guessing. 

The guy does love a mystery. The longer he remains a mystery to him (and the longer he can keep Stiles from figuring out who is hiding behind the mask), the longer Stiles will actually stick around and talk to him without insulting him. Or at least, without insulting him too much. He knows this asshole too well to think he could ever get through a conversation without throwing around a couple of insults. 

“And you won’t tell me who you are?” Stiles is pouting at him. 

That mouth. Damn that mouth. Why can’t he ever just forget about that mouth? Or about the way those eyes were like molten gold as Stiles leaned in to - no. That barely even happened, and even if it did, that was years ago. 

“Not yet,” he has to tease Stiles at least as much as Stiles is teasing him. 

If this is the only way he can get his revenge for what happened the summer after high school, he will absolutely take it. 

“Bad things, about me?” Stiles is now batting his eyelashes like the moron he is. “I’m sure it was Derek fucking Hale who said it.” 

Time to do some Oscar-worthy acting. “Derek Hale?”

Stiles says his name with complete disdain now, and it pisses him off. It makes him want to hurt Stiles - and so he continues to play a part, occasionally fidgeting with his stupid costume, because it really fucking itches. How did Erica even get this thing and how much itching powder did she put in it?

He really would not put it past her. 

“Oh, I’m sure you know all about him. What people say.” Stiles finishes with an eye roll. 

Now this is the opportunity of a lifetime. He is in town so rarely that people tend to be ridiculously happy when he does show up, and he is sure that Stiles really fucking hates that he’s the center of attention. Because he’s a jealous, immature little shit who can’t get over the fact that people actually like Derek now, that his hatred of Derek isn’t enough to shift the opinions of an entire town. He doesn’t have that much power, not over anyone. 

Not even over Derek himself. 

“I really don’t,” he knows that this is his chance. “What do you say?”

“About Derek Hale?” The derision with which Stiles says his name is enough to fuel his anger. “I prefer not to talk about him at all. He’s not worth it. He’s just a dull fool who’s best off staying silent. His eyebrows speak for him. Don’t listen to what everyone else says, only people who hardly know him seem to love him.” 

And this is why they are no longer friends, and they never will be again. Stiles is an asshole who would sooner abandon his friends than admit that he is wrong about anything. And Stiles is wrong about so many things concerning Derek. 

“I’ll tell him that when I see him.” The smile on his face is barely covering the glare. 

“Why would you see him when you could stay here?” Stiles steps in closer to him. 

Now the smirk on his face is real. “Do you not want me to leave?” 

Stiles Stilinski is flirting with him - this is going to give him enough ammunition to win all of their fights for the next decade. All he needs to do is keep this going for a few more minutes, until he has Stiles pressed up against him in full sight of half the town. Then he can lose the mask and embarrass him. 

Because there is nothing that Stiles would hate more than being seen fooling around with him. And right now, he is angry enough to want to become Stiles’ biggest nightmare. 

“Of course not,” Stiles leans in a bit more. 

He is so close now, just a little while longer and Stiles will be eating out of the palm of his hand. And then he can crush him. 

“Stiles!” 

Damn Scott McCall. 

* * *

“She said yes,” Scott’s grin is bright enough to power all of California. 

Yeah, there is no need for any context on that one, because it is so obvious that even a child would understand what Scott is talking about. Allison. Marriage. Their sickening descent into suburbian picket fence happiness. 

Stiles’ imminent need to barf - and his anger about Scott dragging him away from a cute mystery guy who let him rant about Derek fucking Hale.

“Of course she did, dude,” Stiles has to work so hard not to roll his eyes and be a cynical asshole about it. “There was never any doubt. You guys are sickeningly in love.” 

There is nothing about the Scallison relationship that is not completely sweet and adorable - for all that Allison is a military badass who’s won a couple medals with her archery, she goes into harmless mode whenever Scott is around. Unless someone threatens Scott, in which case everyone had better run. Including her own family. 

“Her dad really hates me,” Scott has to argue. “The only way he could hate me more is if I accepted Derek’s offer to become a werewolf.” 

Case in point. Wait, what?

“Derek’s offer to what?” His voice cracks like it used to back in high school. “And since when are you calling him Derek?” 

Seriously, Scott is supposed to be on his side here. He is supposed to always be on his side, because that is the BFF code - they both signed it back in third grade, and Lydia made sure that it was legally binding. Because even at seven years old, Lydia Martin was smarter than everyone else. And she enjoyed a challenge. 

“Technically it was his creepy uncle’s offer back when he was Alpha,” Scott is trying to change the subject, just a little. 

He makes the angry face of disgust that Scott should be really familiar with. “We were teenagers back then. That is some serious bad touch stuff from a man in his thirties.” 

If that man had made that offer to him, he would have probably turned him down flat and said something sarcastic and badass - or is that wishful thinking? His sass is absolutely present even in life or death situations, but badass? While that is definitely in the Stilinski genetics, it seems to have skipped a generation. 

“Peter Hale is a total creep,” Scott is back to stating the obvious. “But yeah, when Derek found out about it last year he said that if I wanted it, he’d give me the Bite.” 

“And you didn’t tell me?” Which is the biggest crime of all, really. 

And that is another rule of their code broken. He has to get back to his dad’s place to look it up, but he is sure that the penalties they’d established for breaking more than one rule are not exactly pleasant. It might involve a baseball bat to the balls. 

“No,” Scott looks down, because he knows. “Because I don’t want to be a wolf. I mean, yeah, asthma sucks, but I wouldn’t wanna be a monster.” 

Because deep down, Scott still believes that all werewolves are monsters who have absolutely no control of their urges. He is a lot more like Chris Argent than he is willing to admit - not the willing to bend ethics more than a little, but more like the loves Allison and still thinks werewolves are lesser than humans. Like humans have such perfect control. 

Which is why Stiles knows he’d be a terrible wolf. Sure, he’s smart and resourceful and loyal, but he is vengeful as fuck, and an asshole to boot. He would not use any wolf powers for good, because he is selfish. He’d probably use them to lash out at Derek in a much more physical manner. 

“I really hope you said that to Derek,” he laughs, pleased as punch. “Exactly that. And if you did, please describe to me his face at that moment. Did he cry? God, I hope he cried.” 

He just really fucking hates Derek Hale. Because everyone loves him, which is ridiculous and not something he deserves. Just because he has medals and saves lives, doesn’t mean he’s actually a good person. Okay, maybe it does, but he isn’t exactly a good person to Stiles and he is a petty shit who will never forget that. 

“Will you stop hating on Derek?” Scott is actually angry with him now - a unique situation if there ever was any. “He dumped you, Stiles. Get over it. It’s been forever.” 

Dumped him? Derek Hale dumped him? Okay, clearly Scott has some problems with his brain being missing, because that is not what happened at all. 

“He did not dump me.” He growls at Scott, sounding more like a wolf than a human. 

Scott doesn’t even flinch. “Oh, I forget, you were never actually together.” 

Wow, that doesn’t hurt or anything. It’s not the most hurtful thing Scott has said about the situation between him and Derek. No, not at all. And that is not denial or sarcasm. And his feelings aren’t hurt, and it has nothing to do with why he hates Derek Hale. 

“That’s not what I,” he tries to form an actual sentence, “oh, forget it.” 

He wants to be the bigger person here, telling Scott that the details of the situation do not matter and that he is completely over it. But he will never be able to make Scott believe any of that - because it simply is not true. He is completely hung up on stuff that happened when he was eighteen, and he is stuck like that, presumably forever. 

“Stiles,” Scott manages to infuse his name with just the right amount of whine, “you can’t keep hating him for something stupid he said when you were eighteen.” 

Does Scott even know him at all? “Yes I can.” 

He keeps a grudge like nobody’s business. And he will keep hating Derek until the day he dies - and if Derek dies before then, he will continue to hate him, no matter that whole kindness shtick that most people go with when someone dies. Derek Hale is evil and he treated Stiles like absolute shit - and that was when they were friends. 

Now that they are enemies, who knows what he would do? Stiles is just fighting back, it is not like he instigates anything. 

And that is something else that he could never get Scott to believe. 

“Stiles,” Scott has to try again. 

“Forever,” he emphasizes every syllable of the word. “I vowed to hate him forever. And I will.” 

Scott gives him that typical look of disappointment. Shame that Stiles is basically immune to that by now - Scott uses those puppy dog eyes way too often. It really decreases their effectiveness. 

“Ally, honey,” Scott is turning his back, already on the phone with his fiancee. “I’ll do it.” 

And the wedding prep starts right the fuck now. 

* * *

While he really does love his pack, sometimes he just really needs a break from their ridiculous shenanigans. Especially since they just will not stop talking about his flirtation with Stiles at that stupid costume party. 

He doesn’t even know how they all saw - there were way too many people there to properly keep track of everywhere. He mostly kept track of Stiles - and of Peter, because there is no way he is letting his uncle roam free anywhere ever again. He has finally learned that lesson after years and years of embarrassment. 

“So, what was it that Scott said?” Erica has once again forgotten about just how good werewolf hearing is. “Stiles still isn’t over our Alpha?” 

And now they are talking about him while he can hear them. It is not a particularly new habit of Erica’s, but this time he is less inclined to interrupt her. 

It has nothing to do with what they are saying about Stiles and his supposed feelings. 

“Apparently he said forever,” Allison sounds sad about it. 

Forever? After all of the shit Stiles has said to him over the last few years, he still gets to use the word forever to his friends? He has done absolutely everything he can to make Derek hate him, ever since he helped them fall apart when Derek enlisted. And here he is, talking about forever, telling Scott he will never be over Derek. 

Why does that make him sit up and take notice, as if Stiles is just waiting around the corner, roaming through the Preserve like he used to. 

“After all this time?” Isaac is right there with the drama. 

“Always.” Erica barely manages to get the word out before bursting into raucous laughter. 

Judging by the sounds coming from inside the house, either Isaac is attacking Erica or the other way around. He cannot hear any shredding of clothes or bones, so he is assuming that it is all in good fun still. Not that he can ever be sure with those two. 

“I think it’s sweet,” Allison cuts through the ringing laughter. “Even after all the mean stuff that Derek has said to him, Stiles still loves him.” 

There is no blip in her heartbeat, which means that at least most of that is true. Allison is pretty good at hiding some of her chemosignals, but even a master of lies like Allison Argent can’t hide everything from a born wolf. Which means that Stiles loves him. Actually loves him, after all this time. 

Ugh, no, he refuses to do the reference. 

“It’s stupid,” Erica vehemently disagrees. “Just because they had a stupid misunderstanding in high school, they both act like complete assholes. And you know that Derek is never going to get over his ego. Scott should keep encouraging him to get over it.” 

The growl escapes him before he can even think about it. Because he is a selfish asshole who does not want Stiles to get over him. Not that he has any particular reason for that - he just want Stiles to hurt at least half as much as he was hurting back then. 

Because he is totally and completely over Stiles, and it just pleases him that Stiles is not able to get over him. It feels like justice. 

“Even when Stiles is pining?” Isaac is the skeptic, as usual. “Because Scott said it was a full on pining, full on in denial type situation. Sure, he can talk about not wanting to get married all he wants, but that’s just because he knows that Derek would crush him if he ever talked about his feelings to him. It would not be pretty.” 

So that’s what they really think of him - that he would carelessly reject Stiles and hurt his feelings for the sake of an age-old feud. For the sake of his stupid pride, that same pride that won’t let him apologize for leaving, for not staying in touch. The same pride that got stung when Stiles found someone to replace him. 

He has tried to read this particular page three times now, and still none of it has stuck. He has no idea what he read, still, just because he is too busy listening to the chaos inside of the house. He has forgotten about everything else. 

“Stiles is a good guy,” Boyd actually enters into the discussion. “He’s loyal, and pretty smart - except for when it comes to Derek.” 

Boyd’s involvement is what really sells him on the sincerity of it all - Boyd takes bets too seriously and wouldn’t lie to him just to prank him. He wouldn’t be swayed, not even by Erica, because she would think it hilarious to make fun of Derek about this. 

So it is true. 

“Scott is worried Stiles might do something drastic and stupid,” Allison sounds smaller, then, and Derek has not felt this bad in ages. 

“We can’t tell Derek.” Even Isaac sounds serious now. 

He might actually vomit - this is what his friends really think of him? Do they really think that he is this concerned about his ego, over something that happened when he was a stupid teenager who got his heart broken? 

It is shameful, petty. He has never thought of himself as particularly petty. Not like Stiles - and he really has to stop insulting him as a reflex. 

Lost in thought, it takes him way too long to realize that he is no longer alone. It takes him even longer to realize that Stiles is standing almost within touching distance, and only the awkward whispering coming from inside the house makes him believe that this is actually happening. It is not some fantasy made real, due to that painful conversation. 

“Scott made me come here,” Stiles is out of breath. 

Clearly he walked all the way here for some reason, and he really pushed himself. Stiles is breathing hard, and Derek can smell sweat on him. Usually, he would have cracked a mean joke about how Stiles would never be able to keep up with werewolves. 

That is not what he wants to do this time. 

Staying kind is hard, goes against his instincts. “Thank you for making the effort.”  

“It was no more effort than the effort you took to thank me,” Stiles looks at him, eyebrows raised. “I wouldn’t have come if it was a pain.” 

So Stiles did not actually mind coming here and seeing him? Is that what he is saying? He is always using turns of phrase that don’t make sense to most people, but right now he thinks he understands what Stiles means. He chose to come here, wanted to be here, was willing to see Derek because this is his house after all. 

“So, it was a pleasure?” He is pleased at that. 

“It was no problem,” Stiles rolls his eyes before entering the house. 

That is Stiles’ trademark wit, but instead of using it to eviscerate Derek, it sounds more like fond teasing. Like it used to, in high school, when he handed Stiles his heart on a silver platter and waited for it to shatter. And it did. 

But, maybe this time...

“No problem.” He repeats it to himself, feeling himself start to grin. 

* * *

Seeing Derek, being at the Hale pack house, it has thrown him off. Because Derek was acting weird, not as ready and willing and able to lash out at his weaknesses. He seemed almost happy to see Stiles, and then he said that weird stuff about effort and pleasure and he actually thanked him for coming by. 

What the fuck is up with that? 

He needs some time to process that, and so his eyes are closed to better block out the rest of the world. He’s on Scott’s couch - because where else would he be - and he pretends not to notice that everyone else is coming into the room. He really does not want to be dragged into another stupid conversation about wedding plans. Because he is an asshole whose support of his best friend has limits. 

“Is he asleep?” Liam pokes at him a bit, like a dick. 

Rude! He’s not going to respond to that. 

Scott laughs. “Like a log.” 

The opposite couch creaks as the kids get into position, completely ignoring him now that they have supposedly established that he is sleeping. Wow, these kids are terrifying and all supernatural evil should tremble at their power - honestly, he is stunned that they ever even managed to beat a single Omega if this is how smart they are without him. 

“You promised you’d tell us,” Hayden is probably curled up next to Liam. 

“Don’t tell Stiles I told you this,” Scott is a terrible best friend and Stiles is absolutely going to murder him for revealing embarrassing facts about him. “Just don’t talk to Stiles about this, period. He is way too proud and way too stubborn to do anything about it. And Derek really doesn’t deserve that.”

Seriously? Scott is going to tell them the Derek story? Even after Stiles was very explicit on how he was never to tell anyone about that ever? He really is an awful BFF who lives to embarrass him in front of the babies. And he doesn’t even like Derek all that much, but he is still going to make Derek sound like a much nicer guy than he actually is, because he will not raise his kids to be biased. 

Yes, his kids. Congratulations Scott, you’re the father. 

“Are you sure that Derek is still in love with him?” Hayden’s voice is clearly recognizable. 

He chokes on thin air then, frantically trying to get air into his lungs while at the same time wanting the children to believe that he is still asleep. Stiles twists and turns a bit on the couch, pretending he is dozing off again and just trying to get comfortable. 

Since he’s a pretty good actor, they will probably buy it. 

“Allison told me.” Once again, an obvious answer. 

“Did she tell you to tell Stiles?” It’s one of the boys asking, but he can’t tell who. 

Does it matter if Allison wanted him to know? It matters that he knows, because not only does he have confirmation that Derek has actual feelings for him, but it also confirms something else. Hayden very clearly said “still in love”, meaning that Derek has been in love with him for a while - perhaps even since high school. 

But that would mean that he was wrong about him - still is - and that just does not make any sense. Derek was the one who abandoned him! 

“No, but Isaac thinks I should,” Scott sounds almost pensive - which would be something new and different for him. “I think it’s a terrible idea. I had to talk him out of it. If they care about Derek at all, they will never let Stiles find out about this.”

What the fuck is up with this assholery from Scott? Like, what the hell does he think that Stiles is going to do to his new best friend Derek? Which, rude on all accounts. Why is Scott taking Derek’s side here? 

Yes, he is petty enough to keep everyone to their respective side. 

“Doesn’t Derek deserve someone as cool as Stiles?” Mason, that one is Mason. 

And Mason is absolutely going to get the first piece of pie next time they have their little pack meeting. Because at least someone appreciates how cool Stiles is. Scott is not getting a damn thing, based on the conversation so far. 

“He does.” Maybe Scott is not completely terrible as a friend. “That and more. But there is no one more stubborn and proud than Stiles. He’d make fun of Derek if he knew, just for spite.” 

Okay, so he’s a little spiteful. It just adds to his fierceness, and it used to make people think he’d make a good wolf (he took that as a compliment, even though it mostly came from Derek’s creepy uncle Peter and he still never wants to become a wolf). Not everyone can be so kind and forgiving as Scott - someone has to be the Disney princess who is constantly surrounded by animals. That’s always been Scott. 

“But Derek is a great guy.” Hayden can no longer be his favorite - Mason wins. 

“Don’t even mention that when Stiles is around,” Scott at least knows that much. “He would laugh at you and list all the reasons why he thinks Derek is basically the devil. I told Allison that she should tell Derek to push it down.” 

But, Derek has actual feelings for him and no. Why would Scott, who believes in love over everything else, including his own sanity, say that? Does he really think that Stiles is that much of an ass? And is he right? 

“He is probably better off forgetting all about Stiles,” Brett is being a fucking douche. 

While he really wants to pretend wake up and throw some Mean Girls sass at him (because he doesn’t even go here), he is too pissed off and confused about what he’s heard before this, and he needs some time to process. 

It should be ridiculous, but it really isn’t. He hasn’t talked to Derek about anything that mattered, not in a nice way, not since high school. And before Derek ran away and enlisted, there had been moments when he thought that maybe… Maybe Derek actually loved him the way Stiles loved Derek. Loves Derek. 

But then Derek didn’t get in touch at all, and Stiles had been hurt, and ready to lash out. So he didn’t say no when this one guy asked him to get coffee. And then Derek came back and he acted like they weren’t even friends anymore. 

So Stiles decided that they’d work just fine as enemies. Because at least then, Derek would actually talk to him. When putting it like that, it sounds kind of pathetic, like he should be starring in a Holiday Hallmark Classic, with Derek as the handsome brooding soldier and Stiles as the sassy love interest who only pretends to hate him. 

They are like one party and tons of mistletoe away from a ratings smash. And a confession of his real feelings, in front of everyone.

* * *

 

Why is there so much mistletoe? It seems like he can’t escape that dreaded plant, which is not something that should be happening at a werewolf friendly party. 

Did the decorator want people to die? 

When he almost falls down because another partygoer is shoved at him with werewolf strength, it all starts to make sense. Because here he is, under the mistletoe with Stiles - and everyone is staring. They are all just waiting for a kiss. 

“Erica,” he growls at the sight of her blonde curls. 

“Sir,” she is usually much too disrespectful to say this while off-duty. 

That clearly means that she is one of the masterminds behind the decorations. Which is pretty much what he expected - Boyd would not get involved in this without Erica asking him to, and still he is standing right there, not taking away any of the sprigs over their heads. 

He is very pointed with his criticism of Erica’s manipulations. “I really hope no wolves gave their lives to put up all this mistletoe. That would be… tragic.” 

If he comes back from leave with an injured beta just because these idiots were up to something involving him and Stiles, he is going to start being Bad Alpha. Because he has been a damn good leader so far - but apparently these morons need some more discipline if this is a plan they think is harmless holiday fun. 

“We’re just tired of your shit.” Erica is joined by a random teenager. 

“Liam, you little shit,” Stiles almost growls, so he clearly seems to know the guy. “You are a child, and you have no idea what is going on here.” 

The kid is high school age, probably even a senior. So really, he is not that young. But leave it to Stiles to exaggerate everything to make himself feel like he grew up a whole lot since high school. But he didn’t. Clearly he didn’t. 

And neither did Derek, because instead of talking, they had to be forced under the mistletoe by some well-meaning, but stupid friends. 

Because no matter what Stiles thinks, this boy is his friend. “When you were my age, you were old enough to completely mess things up with Derek.” 

“That is none of your business, kiddo,” Stiles refuses to listen to any of them. 

They really should have stayed out of it, but if he says that it means that he agrees with Stiles and they will still take that as a win. And Stiles will take it as a display of weakness, and he will immediately take advantage of it. Because he is far too petty to admit to the feelings that Derek’s pack swears he has. 

“It is our business,” Scott McCall steps up. 

“You made it our business,” Allison stands right beside her fiance. 

Maybe they did. Maybe they made the integration of these two groups of friends impossible just by their incessant fighting - no matter how much he enjoyed getting Stiles all fired up, eyes dark, breathing heavy, and focused on nothing else but him. 

Wait, what was he thinking about? 

“You have to kiss.” He doesn’t know the teenage girl who speaks up. 

Maybe if this was still high school, they would have just kissed, and they could have made it work. But they’d kissed once, just once, before he ran off and enlisted, and then proceeded to fail at keeping in touch with the people he cared about. And there were so few of those at that time. 

Stiles huffs. “I don’t have to do a damn thing, not with him.”

Why would Stiles say these things if he’s in love with him? Was the pack lying? But why would they lie about it when they didn’t even know that he’d overheard them? 

So Stiles is lying about something. He just doesn’t know if it’s the love or the hate that he’s lying about. And it is time to find out which. 

He turns to Stiles, crosses his arms and gets ready for battle. “Then clearly my pack was wrong when they told me you said you could never get over me.” 

“My friends said you were basically swooning over me.” Stiles does not take the perceived accusation lying down, as usual. 

How would Stiles’ friends even know about that? Unless Erica opened her big mouth and told them. Not that Derek has ever confirmed her assumptions about his feelings for Stiles and how the fighting is a coverup. The words unresolved sexual tension have escaped her mouth way too many times for him to be comfortable with. 

“I told them no such thing.” He has to correct Stiles on that assumption. 

“Neither did I,” Stiles just keeps throwing him for a loop. 

Their friends could be lying about this. It could all just be a stupid ploy from them to get him and Stiles to kiss and make up, but while his friends can be manipulative, he honestly doubts that they would be outright cruel to their friend and Alpha. They would never throw him at a guy who absolutely hated him. Peter might, but he’s been absent for most of the break - up to no good, but not involved in anything related to him and Stiles. 

“And yet,” a dark skinned teen holds out a perfectly wrapped gift, “here is a Christmas gift, from Stiles to Derek.”

He reaches for it without another thought, because after all of this time and after all of the fighting, Stiles actually got him a Christmas present. And a perfectly wrapped one too - not like it’s been gift wrapped in the store, with all of the fancy gizmos, but more like Stiles had actually taken the effort to wrap it himself. And he hasn’t done a haphazard job, which used to be enough for Stiles when it came to presents. 

Stiles, who is pointedly not looking at him at the moment. He’s embarrassed. 

“And here,” Isaac makes his dramatic entrance, “a gift from Derek to Stiles.” 

Well, fuck. He really needed to have the upper hand, at least for a minute, so he could be the magnanimous one and Stiles would actually hear him out. But now… 

“Shall we open them?” Erica bats her eyelashes, like the innocent she really isn’t. 

“No!” Two voices echo; his own and Stiles’. 

His present is stupid, silly, something sappy that reminded him of Stiles. He had planned to leave it as an anonymous gift, even though Stiles would eventually figure out that it was Derek who sent it. It could have been a secret peace offering, and now all of his closest friends are here to witness his embarrassment. 

At least Stiles feels the same way. About this. 

“It seems we betrayed ourselves,” he has to say something. 

Talking to Stiles feels so much harder now. He can’t say anything too rude, because Stiles is in love with him and he is in love with Stiles. And now that that’s out in the open it seems too weird to still act like he hates Stiles. It seems that there are other ways to get Stiles to notice him now, to make him pant and groan and stare. 

Maybe they can be better - as long as Stiles doesn’t stop teasing him. Not ever. 

“It seems our friends are way sneakier than I have ever given them credit for.” Stiles stares pointedly at the idiots currently circling them. “Erica, you in particular would make an excellent villain. And Scotty, how dare you? This breaks so many BFF code rules - I’m not sure we’ve even established a penalty for that.” 

Only Stiles could keep talking at a time like this. He is just going to keep talking nonsense until someone shuts him up somehow, and he has at least a couple of suggestions that he could act on. That he wants to act on. 

“Shut up and kiss,” Erica hollers gleefully. 

Stiles is blushing, awkwardly not looking at Derek. “Do you have any idea how invasive this is? We have a right to privacy, you know, and I know that sort of thing tends to go out of the window with you wolves and your super smell, but I know my rights and-” 

Derek huffs, because he knows why this is happening. Stiles is scared, and rather than admit that, he is lashing out. Sounds like they’ve been there before. 

“Oh, shut up,” he tells Stiles instead. 

That makes Stiles turn to him, a grin on his face. “Make me.” 

So he finally listens to Stiles for the first time in years. He puts both hands on Stiles’ face and pulls him close, pressing their lips together. 

It is a different kiss than their first one, all those years ago. Not just because they are older and his facial hair is scraping against Stiles’ skin, undoubtedly leaving him with reddened skin, pleasing his instincts. No, this kiss is not nearly as soft or tentative as the last one was, when they were still worried that pushing for more meant ruining their friendship. 

Now they don’t have anything left to ruin, just more to strive for. 

“Get a room!” Erica tries to bring them back to reality. 

Stiles steps back, because he can’t not respond to a taunt. “You should talk, Erica. People here have seen more of you and Boyd than they ever wanted to. And besides, you helped make this happen, so deal with it.” 

Derek smiles. He can’t believe this is the dork he’s in love with. 

“Turn the music up! I wanna dance.” Stiles turns to him with a madman’s grin. “With somebody who loves me.” 

He just rolls his eyes and kisses Stiles again. 


End file.
